Stuart King looking to use this season's progress as platform for further Carrick Rangers success

The County Antrim outfit achieved their highest-ever Premiership finish by ending the campaign in seventh – collecting a record 50 points in the process – to set up a maiden European play-off semi-final against Crusaders.

They lost out 3-1 at Seaview with Stephen Baxter’s side progressing to a showdown with Coleraine, who defeated Glentoran 3-0, but King isn’t resting on his laurels after creating history.

"This season has been massive progress,” he said. “Last year we had 40 points and this season we broke the record with 50 points, we got to the semi-final of a cup (County Antrim Shield) which we've never done under me and we took the top-six to the last game before the split, which is mixing it with the big boys.

"We had a job to do in finishing seventh and we've won four out of five to make sure we got it. I've laid it on the line to the players that I want to keep progressing. I want to get to a final, I want us to finish in the top-six and I want to progress in the European play-off - I don't want to get beaten in the semi-final.

"I'm all about trying to do better and if we can get more than 50 points next season we'll not be far away. We just have to try and build on it.

"You see the reaction from our fans, who came out in massive numbers tonight, and I've got to give a lot of credit to the Crues fans too because they clapped us off at the end, so we're doing something right when you have a massive club like Crusaders clapping me and the lads off. Fair play to them. That shows the progress we're making."

While disappointed for the season to end in defeat, King admits his “heart is full” at seeing every member of Carrick’s squad giving their all for the cause.

"We were right down to the bare bones, let's be brutally honest about it,” he added. "We had players playing with injuries and only two senior players on the bench - one of them isn't fit - and the rest are kids, who we gave a couple of debuts to.

"We had to go for it. I'd rather go out fighting and I didn't want to be negative tonight. The message all week was that we've got ourselves here and I wanted to go and attack the game and really try to put pressure on.

"We gave away poor goals at poor times, but my heart is full. As a manager all you can ask for is that everybody that works for you gives you absolutely everything and I can honestly say hand on heart that I've gotten everything out of everybody and I'm proud as hell."